How do you facilitate problem solving with remote teams?

In today's dynamic work environment, setting clear expectations, defining tasks, establishing priorities, and determining timelines are crucial aspects for remote teams. However, equally vital is the need for consistent communication and staying connected. The availability of team members becomes a critical concern when working remotely. Failing to establish seamless connections for timely interactions can adversely affect delivery timelines and overall productivity.

Clear alignment, together with a team trained to communicate well, facilitates the generation of work standards, which have nothing to do with people standards, I respect the profile of each professional a lot, but it is necessary that standards and correct communication always be a priority, each subject or project must always be born with a meeting with all the areas involved and mainly the stakeholders where there is no doubt about the scope of the work after that, each one knows well what he must do, from this moment on, whether remotely or in person everything goes more easily, good physical contact should never be neglected, that hallway talk that helps and shortens paths, but if we act in the way said here, success is guaranteed.

After the team aligns their expectations, understanding of the scope, and have a clear definition of done and shared vision, the the team also needs to set the boundaries. In the digital era, it is common people to use multiple communication tools such as Outlook, Team, Slack, etc l. and having a clearly set boundaries will help to team to function better together. In this way, all members will be aware which actions are acceptable and which are not. For example, whether pinging a team members in Teams/Slack right after sending them an email is acceptable or not, under which conditions voice communication preferred and under which situations writing communication is necessary and so on.

One key thing to manage remote teams is for the leader to ensure they are always on the table whenever you are making decisions. The pitfall to avoid is the moment you miss Equity and Inclusivity for teams. There are many ways to form the trust of remote teams and make them feel included and connected to Org vision..and...if you don't know...ask your team...they always have the answer, you just need to ask the right question :-)

2 Key Factors For Given Scenario To Succeed 1.) Knowledge of business tools being used, understanding what issues can arise, and contingency planning/preparation - this should always be conducted first in any given situation, especially if internal business communication tools/ software programs are mainly used to perform these tasks/projects and the primary form of communication a 2.) Conduct Meeting - during this step it is essential to commicate details thoroughly & effectively on project/tasks to be conducted, contingency plans are presented, provide any additional information (expectations/requirements/policy practices & disciplinary actions), MUST conduct Q/A with team to clarify any questions/comments/concerns

An experienced problem management facilitator is key to assisting the process and competent using problem management techniques such as fishbone, A3 and 5-whys

Working remotely undoubtedly offers flexibility, but it can sometimes feel monotonous without that personal touch. Fostering offline connections is essential. Seek guidance, socialize, and build relationships beyond the virtual realm. To efficiently manage projects and track progress, utilizing project management tools is paramount. One of the key advantages of project management tools is their ability to send proactive alerts to team members about upcoming critical activities to take proactive actions and stay ahead of deadlines. Embracing online conference tools like Zoom, Google Meet, Teams Meet, Skype, and WebEx facilitates regular project reviews to identify and address gaps/challenges in a timely manner.

Using project management methods and techniques is as important as the tools. While utilizing the online collaboration tools such as Teams, Zoom, Skype, Jira, Slack, Miro, Whiteboard, and so on, is essential in effective team collaboration, the methods and technique used such as Pareto Analysis, Ishikawa(Fishbone) Chart, 5-Whys, A-3 Probem Solving, RCA, RACI, Icebreaker games, Value Stream Mapping, and so on, contributes the efficiency and also help the team to focus on the scope and avoid from scope creeps. Not to mention about changing the dull air and helps the team to widen their understanding of the projects and the current and future issues.

I find that grouping the team with a colleague that they are not familiar with helps to build connections. Diversity is key!

Consistent communication and leading with humanity are essential to establishing trust. Inspiring leaders set the tone for respect, rapport, and inclusion throughout an organization. It is vital to manage processes and lead people, versus managing people and leading processes. Galvanized teams are developed with intention.

Effective leadership goes beyond just directing people and assigning tasks. It hinges on fostering a culture of trust and rapport within a team. True leaders establish and nurture these crucial elements which helps to shape the team cohesion, productivity, and overall success. The delicate blend of reliability, honesty, and mutual respect will enable the team to feel secure in their interactions with each other and support transparency, which will create a sense of belonging and boost team's morale and foster active listening and proactively attending.

Set clear expectations for problem-solving processes and outcomes. Ensure that every team member understands their roles and responsibilities in the problem-solving efforts.

True transformation and improvement occurs when an in inclusive atmosphere where every voice is not only hurt, but also valued. The harmonious blend of diverse notes is where true innovations find their resonance. An enlightened conductor of leadership recognizes the significance of every instrument in a masterpiece. Visionary leaders are all well aware that the most innovative ideas often arise from the synergy of different perspectives. As the curtains of bias are drawn back, the spotlight of equitable opportunity for all to contribute are just gone and opportunity for innovation and improvement is forever lost. Hence, seizing thr opportunity of capturing each individual's unique brilliance is a must for a good teamwork.

Diversity also includes visiting, learning and hearing from other companies or institutions that have solved same or similar problems before

Build diverse remote teams by considering factors like gender, ethnicity, nationality, age, and expertise. Diverse teams bring a variety of viewpoints and experiences, which can lead to more innovative problem-solving.

Working remotely is mostly about getting to the diversity and inclusion, allowing profiles from different locations, backgrounds, personality and family situation to collaborate as equals. This is necessary to nourish a rounded and balanced approach to problems, taking into account all possible variety of challenges and opportunities on the way.

Remote team need constant support from Top line , Mid line or from other stakeholders of the project in terms of resources, tech support , human resources or any other related bandwidth. There are always some challenges present while working remote, line management should always keep it in mind and act accordingly while delegation of work . There should be always an environment of encouragement present in the whole process.

Constructive conflict resolution is crucial for harmonious teamwork. Encouraging open communication, fostering and inclusive environment to promote active listening, mutual respect, and transparency are essential duties of an inspiring leader. The leaders should set examples and address the conflicts in the team while embracing diverse views by remembering and reminding that differences in views are only opportunities for growth and variety, rather tan roadblocks. As long as disagreements are treated as differences in opinions rather than personal attacks, the team can work through a shared understanding rather than a wich hunt and blaming games.

Identify the problem to be solved One of the easiest ways to identify a problem is to ask questions, such as Who: Who is involved in this problem? Who has caused the problem? Who is most affected by this problem? What: What is happening? What is preventing this problem from moving forward? Where: Where did this problem occur? When: When did this problem occur? Is this an urgent problem that must be resolved within a specific time frame? Why: Why is it happening and why does it affect workflows? How: How did the problem occur? How does it affect workflows and the productivity of team members? And based on those answers we can start isolating the problem and piloting potential solutions until we come up with the most suitable solution.

Before getting into any conflict resolution, you should have a plan for their mitigation. On a remote environment it’s very easy and natural for misunderstandings to create friction between people. One of the best ways that prevent this is to organise regular (at least 1-2x a year) in-person meet ups. Those personal encounters allow to dismantle any abstract imaginations co-workers may have between each other and foment a more positive approach and trust between everyone. Besides, each department/team should have a weekly meeting to address any issues they’re facing. These issues can be related with their operations and production, but shouldn’t exclude intrapersonal problems.

Never miss an opportunity to learn from a conflict. Conflicts come for a reason, most often about communication issue or conflicting roles or personalities. One thing I find useful is to agree on a common language, small (but necessary) changes in the process, or simply divide and conquer approach to resolving a conflict.

Upskilling gets strenuous remotely. Some do well with self-paced or mentored trainings while others do better with hands-on or peer learning. It becomes vital to understand the diverse needs and tailor the learning opportunities accordingly.

Sometimes, one of the outcomes of the evaluation process is that some tasks were not initially distributed among team members in a way that best exploits the skills and/or experience of some of the team members. In such cases, early discovery of the real skill set of each of the team’s players may allow a slight change in roles or re-assignment of tasks that results in great improvement of the overall team performance.

Innovation in technology is the key to problem solving while dealing with remote teams. Bridging interactions and constant monitoring can help overcoming issues because remote work weakens the team ties. And also adhering strictly to the time management policy can be constructive and conducive.

Problem solving is a mindset.. it has to be practiced regularly to retain its efficacy ! An open channel of communication alongside definite roles and responsibility distribution, conflict resolution and respecting varying time zones for geographically dispersed teams can go a long way in having a functionally active remote team !